Volume 4 Issue 3
Page 2

October 1999

EDITOR'S NOTE:

According to reports that we have received, three presbyteries have invoked BCO 34-1 in regard to TE John Wood, a ministerial member of Tennessee Valley Presbytery, entering four specifications against TE Wood arising out of reports that the Cedar Springs Church, of which Wood is pastor, 'has had women preachers to fill its pulpit; and. . .on August 16 and 23, 1998, a woman led in worship, preached, giving instruction and exhortation in the Sunday evening worship service,' and that TE Wood has 'publicly defended the practice of women preaching, teaching, and exhorting' (quotes from an overture adopted by Ascension Presbytery on 31 July).

This matter had been addressed in a communication from the Presbytery of Western Carolina to the Presbytery of Tennessee Valley, but that Presbytery has refused, thus far, to take any action. This situation was also behind the overture from Western Carolina to the 17th Assembly, which is referred to in the previous article, which overture the Assembly side-stepped. The charges against Wood include violations of the second, fourth and fifth commandments as explained by the Westminster Larger Catechism, and violation of the biblical teaching on worship, specifically in connection with the public preaching of women in light of WLC Q&A 158. BCO 34-1- provides that Process against a minister shall be entered before the Presbytery of which he is a member. However, if Presbytery refused to act in doctrinal cases or cases of public scandal, and two other Presbyteries request the Assembly to assume original jurisdiction, the Assembly shall do so. It is our understanding that the Presbytery of Western Carolina has adopted substantially the same overture as the one adopted by Ascension Presbytery. This matter has also been brought to the attention of other Presbyteries, but we do not have any reports of specific action at this time. It will be interesting to see what comes of this. We can always hope for the best-a stand for the truth. We will not be surprised, however, if the PCA takes the same well worn path followed by other denominations faced with these issues, which have generally sought to find some technicality on which to avoid having to take a stand.